Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 Story Mode: Age 1000 Campaign, Characters, and Soul Bonding

Explore the futuristic Age 1000 setting, GS Squad, and new Soul Bonding mechanics in the upcoming Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 story mode.

With Bandai Namco officially announcing the next entry in their flagship arena-fighter series under the working title Project: Age 1000, excitement for the dragon ball xenoverse 3 story mode has reached an all-time high. Scheduled for a 2027 release on next-generation platforms and PC, this new campaign promises to completely reinvent how players experience custom character progression and narrative depth. To help you prepare for this massive leap forward, our comprehensive guide to the dragon ball xenoverse 3 story mode breaks down the futuristic timeline, returning characters, and revolutionary combat mechanics.

The Xenoverse series has always been celebrated for letting players insert their own custom avatars (commonly known as CACs) directly into the historical fabric of the franchise. However, where previous titles focused on repairing broken timelines from the classic Dragon Ball Z and Super eras, this upcoming installment takes a bold step forward. By anchoring its story in a brand-new era, developer Dimps is crafting an original narrative that honors the legacy of the late Akira Toriyama, who was deeply involved in the game's world-building.

Setting the Stage: Welcome to Age 1000 and New City

One of the most significant changes in this upcoming sequel is its placement on the franchise timeline. The campaign takes place in Age 1000, which is exactly 148 years after the events of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. This chronological jump provides a completely blank canvas for the narrative, allowing the developers to explore a highly advanced Earth without being strictly tethered to the events of the original anime sagas.

At the heart of this new era is New City, a sprawling, futuristic metropolis that replaces Tokitoki City and Conton City as the central hub. Built with advanced Capsule Corporation technology, New City is a vibrant world where humans, Saiyans, Namekians, Majins, and Frieza Clan members coexist. To understand how the dragon ball xenoverse 3 story mode handles its timeline compared to its predecessors, consider the historical breakdown below.

Table 1: Franchise Timeline Comparison

Game Title	Primary Hub World	Core Timeline Era	Narrative Focus
Dragon Ball Xenoverse	Tokitoki City	Various (Time Patrol)	Correcting history anomalies in the DBZ timeline
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2	Conton City	Various (Time Patrol)	Expanded history correction, including movie villains
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3	New City	Age 1000 (148 years later)	Original future storyline, school life, and local heroism

Akira Toriyama's creative vision serves as the foundation for this futuristic setting. Before his passing, Toriyama laid out the conceptual framework for Age 1000 and personally illustrated multiple character designs, including the default male and female player characters, Bulma's updated look, and a new key character named Brett.

The Core Plot: The Great Saiyan (GS) Squad and School Life

The campaign begins with a classic isekai hook. Your custom character is mysteriously summoned to New City from "a land far, far away" with no memory of how they arrived. Upon waking up in a futuristic apartment managed by robotic assistants, you are greeted by Bulma and a energetic young fighter named Brett.

This narrative setup represents a major departure for the dragon ball xenoverse 3 story mode compared to previous games. Instead of immediately joining the Time Patrol to fight multiversal threats, your character must first adapt to everyday life in Age 1000. To help you integrate into society and test your latent abilities, Bulma and her allies enroll you in a local academy.

Table 2: Story Mode Campaign Structure

Campaign Phase	Primary Objective	Key Locations	Main Allies
Phase 1: Arrival	Learn the basics of New City and discover your origin	Player Apartment, New City Streets	Bulma, Brett
Phase 2: Academy Days	Enroll in school, meet classmates, and unlock basic transformations	New City High School, Training Grounds	Lilica, Park
Phase 3: GS Squad Initiation	Join the Great Saiyan Squad and protect the city from local threats	GS Squad Headquarters	Brett, Gamma 1
Phase 4: The Age 1000 Crisis	Uncover a conspiracy threatening the peace of the future	Classified Locations	Future Trunks, Z Warriors

At the academy, you meet classmates like Lilica and a rival named Park. However, school life is quickly interrupted by local criminal activity and mysterious enemy factions. To combat these threats, you are invited to join the GS Squad (Great Saiyan Squad), a superhero organization inspired by the legacy of Great Saiyaman. Alongside Brett—who wears a specialized, visor-equipped superhero suit—you will fly across New City to stop villains, rescue citizens, and establish yourself as a champion of justice.

Confirmed Playable and Supporting Characters

While the story focuses heavily on your custom character, a diverse roster of allies and enemies will shape your journey. The narrative brings fresh faces to the dragon ball xenoverse 3 story mode roster while finding creative ways to include iconic legacy heroes.

Table 3: Confirmed Character Roster & Roles

Character Name	Roster Status	Role in Story Mode	Key Characteristics
Custom Character (CAC)	Playable	Main Protagonist	Fully customizable; summoned from another world
Future Trunks	Playable	Time Patrol Guide	Arrives via time machine to assist in times of crisis
Bulma	Supporting	Tech Support & Mentor	Wears a unique halo-like device; leads Capsule Corp
Brett	Supporting	GS Squad Partner	Hot-headed hero; uses a customizable wrist device
Lilica	Supporting	Academy Classmate	Friendly student who helps the player adapt to school
Gamma 1	Supporting	GS Squad Ally	Legendary superhero android assisting in city defense
Rom	Supporting	Pop Icon	A popular female singer whose music influences the city
Appule / Nabana / Navel	Enemy	Frieza Force Remnants	Low-level invaders causing chaos in New City
Battle Jacket	Enemy	Mech Boss	Heavy military technology used by criminal factions

One of the most intriguing character designs is Bulma's Age 1000 appearance. She is depicted wearing a specialized halo-like device around her neck. Community reports and fan theories suggest this device might be keeping her alive, or that she is a highly advanced holographic projection of her original self, allowing her to guide the new generation of heroes centuries after her natural lifespan.

Gameplay Mechanics: Soul Bonding and New Combat Systems

While the narrative of the campaign is a major selling point, Dimps is also introducing massive overhauls to the core gameplay. The combat loop within the dragon ball xenoverse 3 story mode introduces a revolutionary system called Soul Bonding.

Soul Bonding is a unique mechanic that draws inspiration from previous Bandai Namco titles like Dragon Ball FighterZ and The Breakers. In Age 1000, the physical Z Warriors of the past may no longer be around, but their spirits can be summoned and bonded to your custom character. By forming a deep spiritual connection with legendary fighters like Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, or Gohan, your character can dynamically inherit their movesets, passive buffs, and ultimate abilities.

Table 4: Soul Bonding vs. Traditional Mentorship

Feature	Traditional Mentorship (Xenoverse 2)	Soul Bonding (Xenoverse 3)
Access Method	Find mentors physically located around the hub world	Unlock spiritual bonds through story progression and challenges
Skill Acquisition	Complete specific training missions to learn individual moves	Dynamically share skills and passive stat boosts in real-time
Combat Impact	No direct gameplay changes outside of equipped skills	Allows temporary stat boosts and unique dual-ultimate attacks
Racial Compatibility	Identical across all races	Enhanced bonuses when bonding with warriors of the same race

This system allows for unprecedented customization. For example, a Saiyan custom character can bond with Goku to easily master the Kaioken Kamehameha, while a Namekian character can bond with Piccolo to unlock specialized defensive maneuvers. These bonds are forged by completing character-specific side quests, participating in historic battle simulations, and using them frequently in combat.

Community Speculation and Fan Theories

Because Project: Age 1000 was officially revealed on April 19, 2026, the community has had plenty of time to analyze promotional material. Early player experience reports from hands-on previews at events like the Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour have fueled intense speculation regarding the campaign's ultimate villain.

Table 5: Top Community Theories

Theory Name	Core Premise	Supporting Evidence
The Android Bulma Theory	The Bulma guiding the player is an AI or android clone	The unique halo-like neck device shown in Trailer 2
The Time Patroller Exile	The player character is a rogue Time Patroller	The opening dialogue mentioning being "summoned from far away"
The Frieza Clan Revival	The Frieza Force is using Age 1000 tech to clone old bosses	The confirmed return of enemies like Appule, Raspberry, and Roberry

Many players are particularly interested in how Future Trunks fits into the narrative. Since the game takes place in Age 1000, Trunks' arrival via time machine suggests that the peace of this future era is incredibly fragile. Fans theorize that a new temporal threat is attempting to rewrite the events of Age 1000 to erase the Z Warriors from history entirely, forcing the Time Patrol to step in and coordinate with the GS Squad.

Platforms, Technical Expectations, and Release Window

Developed by Dimps and published by Bandai Namco, the title is being built from the ground up for modern hardware. By bypassing last-generation consoles like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the developers can deliver a seamless, visually stunning rendition of New City with zero loading screens between the hub world and story battles.

The game is set to launch in 2027 for the following platforms:

PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
Microsoft Windows (available via the official Steam store page upon release)

With advanced lighting, destructible environments, and highly detailed character models that perfectly capture Akira Toriyama's signature art style, this game is shaping up to be the ultimate celebration of the franchise's history and future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When is the release date for the game?

While an exact day has not been finalized, Bandai Namco has confirmed that the game will launch in 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam.

How does the dragon ball xenoverse 3 story mode differ from previous games?

Unlike the first two games, which focused on correcting historical anomalies throughout the classic Dragon Ball Z timeline, the dragon ball xenoverse 3 story mode takes place in the year Age 1000. It features an original story set in the futuristic New City, where your custom character enrolls in school, joins the GS Squad, and uncovers a brand-new threat to the future.

What is the Soul Bonding mechanic in the campaign?

Soul Bonding is a new gameplay system that allows your custom character to spiritually connect with legendary Z Warriors. This mechanic grants your avatar access to their iconic movesets, passive stat boosts, and unique combat skills, combining elements of character customization from previous fighting games and survival titles.

Will the dragon ball xenoverse 3 story mode feature co-op gameplay?

While the main campaign is a narrative-driven single-player experience focusing on your custom character, community reports indicate that certain GS Squad missions, raid battles, and training challenges can be played cooperatively with friends online.